In the Rose Garden
by Khait Khepri
Summary: Many years after they had their little tryst behind the house, Roy takes Riza out to the rose garden of the Fuhrer's Manor. Royai fluffiness. Post-manga. One shot. Sequel to 'Behind the House'.


Title: In the Rose Garden

Summary: Many years after they had their little tryst behind the house, Roy takes Riza out to the rose garden of the Fuhrer's Manor. Royai fluffiness. Post-manga. One shot. Sequel to 'Behind the House'.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. This is merely for entertainment purposes.

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He'd called for her and then got promptly diverted by paperwork that absolutely _had_ to be taken care of. Merely in this damnable office a month and this was the first time in some time his busy work schedule had slowed enough to finally get some downtime beyond dropping in bed and sleeping or other basic needs of life. It wasn't as though he could have shuffled it off on someone else, either. His longest assistant was someone he didn't dare foist things off onto anymore. After all, while they were still very much the idealistic teenagers dreaming of bright futures they'd once been in their youth, they were far more now. They were war-stained, blood-stained, and aged though they remained much the same where it counted.

Once done with all the signing on dotted lines and reviewing of general documentation, he moved out to the garden and saw her standing in her uniform near the small pond that had been placed near the center of said garden. It pained him to see that blue ensemble, knowing it was as much a shield as anything else. Then again, she was still in the military at this moment and when one was summoned by the Fuhrer, one dressed impeccably. Stepping towards her, he knew his footfalls had been heard and he watched her turn.

Her hair, trimmed short like it had been in their youth, glowed faintly in the sun above. Her eyes, he mused, were still that same beautiful sepia brown though they showed their years far better now. Faint laugh lines creased at the corners of her eyes and though her face was otherwise smooth, devoid of cosmetics, and fit for a woman of her late thirties, she seemed to be tired to him. He had been keeping her waiting for far too long and not just in this garden as he scribbled and shoved at paperwork.

"Your Excellency," she murmured with an inclination of her head, and all Roy thought of was to banish the words from her.

"Riza," he stated in a far more informal and far warmer tone. The look on her face was worth it. Her entire military stance softened, the pips on her shoulders denoting her Major rank glinting in the sunlight briefly as her shoulders shifted, and her eyes seemed to warm just a touch. It was not overt. No one that did not know her well would not see it. Always and always that pretty girl so utterly sweet behind the house for him and only him. He actually loved that about her. "I'd like you to retire." Immediately, her entire posture stiffened like a board and he knew he'd hurt her though he'd not let her know the entire reason as to why he wished such a thing.

"Why?" came her singular syllable reply. It was obvious why she questioned him. All these years serving faithfully at his back… All the years of sacrifice to keep close to him.

"I don't need you in that way anymore," he assured her, his fingers reaching to trail along her jawline only to watch her flinch. She thought he was running her off.

"I swore to follow you everywhere, sir!"

"Roy." His mild rebuke brought her up short and she gave him a look of confusion. "How many years have you spent saying 'sir' or 'Colonel' or 'General', Riza?" he asked, warmth in his tone even as he scolded her ever so slightly. "How long have you spent your time so very carefully _not_ saying my name?"

"Please, your… Roy." It seemed she was gritting out his name, forcing it from her mouth even as his roughened thumb pad smoothed across lips to feel her breath. Fortunately, she didn't pull away.

"Have you thought about where we stand?" he asked.

"We're at the Fuhrer's residence," she replied stiffly, the movements of her mouth pressing against his thumb.

"_Behind_ it… in a rose garden," Roy corrected, finally lowering his hand and smoothing the appendage down to her shoulder. "And I seem to have found a number of nice little spots that would afford us privacy while strolling these grounds."

Instantly, sepia eyes were sent to meet onyx and he allowed himself to smile knowingly down at her.

"We can't," she bit out flatly.

"So long as you remain in the military," he agreed and found that suddenly her eyes lit in dawning comprehension and shock started to line her face. "I want you to stand at my _side_, not at my back. Help me walk this path."

"What are you saying?" Typical Riza, demanding direct answers despite flowery speech. She knew what he hinted at. She wanted it straight. Not surprising after so many years of having to sidestep about each other and hide their emotions.

"I want you to retire and marry me. Become the First Lady of Amestris. Be my wife. Show the world not an officer and his aide but a Fuhrer and his greatest support."

Much to his utter shock, he watched that beautiful face seemed to shift, crack, and expose the truth underneath all that carefully maintained hardness. She was still the pretty teen that he'd peeked at from behind books. She was still the shy little blonde wearing those concealing sweaters and pencil skirts. Oh, he had to kiss her. The occasion demanded it.

Whatever protest she might have had, he swallowed as he pressed lips to hers. He didn't care what people were watching. He _knew_ they were because they had to watch after their Fuhrer. And he mentally jeered at the ever-hard and long dead Berthold Hawkeye, snubbing the man that had denied him the one thing he'd truly wanted for years. As a result, he'd attained the greatest of accomplishments and had become Fuhrer and if he had his way, he'd obtain that sweet, sweet girl he'd kissed behind the house of his former master.

Separating their mouths, he was amused to see the slightly dazed look on her face. Despite his years being a 'womanizer', he'd never really dallied about. Riza would not have accepted that and he had no desire to ruin their relationship. And then he spoke ever so softly.

"What do you say?"

"Yes."

He kissed her again, hooking her close in his arms, dragging her flush, and ignoring the mild dig of her adornments against his chest for he'd just gotten what he'd wanted and damn the consequences.

After a few minutes, he let her go, grinning boyishly at her as she returned the look with one of deep warmth.

"How long must I wait for the paperwork to go through?"

"Consider yourself retired now," he smirked in return as he dug into his pocket. "For… guess what?"

"What?" she asked.

"I'm _Fuhrer_." The suddenly presented ring in his hand made her blink. It was a thin gold band topped with a crystalline and bright diamond of five karats. "And what I say goes."

"Abusing your authority already?" she mocked gently, arching a thin brow at him.

"Only for this." The band was soon slipped onto her left hand's ring finger and they were embracing once more.

"I suppose that isn't too bad." She paused and then suddenly bore a mildly mischievous look that came off somewhat coquettish. Roy assumed it was because she'd stayed around him too long. He could definitely be considered a bad influence. "So, about those places?"

The air was suddenly split as a baritone chuckle reverberated from the Fuhrer's chest, his delight shining through. He felt like he was nineteen all over again despite the fact he was closer to forty. Twenty years… twenty _years_ he had waited for this moment. Not her comment about where to kiss and make out. Not her sudden spark of naughtiness. Those, yes, he delighted in, but it was _her_ that he suddenly found himself wondering if this rose garden wasn't the one behind the Hawkeye home and time hadn't suddenly reversed. It was certainly grander, more wonderful, and still had all those lovely out of the way places. The amazing energy that rolled through him just made him feel bubbly and almost lighter than air. He wanted to laugh, to dance, to just hug her close, and to shout his joy to the heavens. Instead, he opted for something a bit more personal.

Seizing the sides of his beautiful fiancée's face, he pressed his forehead to hers and stared right into her eyes. "Oh, Riza… I love you."

"You are impossible," she told him, smiling at his exuberance. "But I love you, too."

"Don't go anywhere I can't follow," he begged softly.

"Where else _would_ I go?" she murmured. "This is the only place I can ever be."

"_Good_." And with a rather savage yet chaste kiss, he snatched at her breath. A few minutes of this and then came a rather pointed remark from the one woman he'd ever really wanted.

"And if I find you wining and dining your spy network ever again, so help me I'll shoot you in the ass."

"Understood," he agreed.

"And no slacking off while you're being Fuhrer."

"Like I have much choice."

"And I'd like to have two children."

He blinked. "We're getting older."

"Then you ought to hurry up, shouldn't you?" She gave him a stern look, though he could see her amusement. Scoffing a bit, he pretended to be offended, further amusing her.

"Such steep demands from you."

"Save for the children part, I've not really demanded anything new."

"You've not objected to the network before."

"Because you knew I'd kill you for sleeping with them."

"Point. Any other stipulations?"

"Yes," teased the slightly younger blonde woman. "Get my paperwork done so we can get married."

"Yes, ma'am," he consented.

Three months later, they stood within the very garden they'd proposed in. She stood in white for she'd only had ever allowed one man to touch her. He stood neatly in his uniform as was proper. In the crowd, there were old friends, companions, dignitaries, and various generals. At his side stood Breda, Falman, Fuery, and Havoc. Beside Riza stood Rebecca, Gracia, and two other women she knew and were friends with. A quick glance out to the crowd easily revealed faces like the Elrics, unmistakable with their sunny hair, and Ling Yao, who had come personally from Xing to watch the marriage.

But his entire vision was for her. That one woman he'd spent years by and loving without the capability of touching. Now, she could be touched and he _had_ touched her. It had been liberating, knowing that he could sleep with her at night and awake by her in the morning. In many ways, his delight in such a small thing had made him far easier to deal with as he was easy to persuade into getting his work done so he could be with her again. It also made him harder to deal with because he daydreamed longer. It was like he'd been a lovesick puppy all over again.

Properly heeled to one side was Black Hayate, old and somewhat frail. His muzzle, once sharply defined between white and black, was now peppered up the top with white hairs. By his side stood Elicia, adorable as ever and turning into a proper young lady. Roy knew her father would be proud of her.

Yet still, he focused on the woman that would be his wife. And the mother of his child. Perhaps not 'children' yet, but he knew she was pregnant and still fairly newly so. He'd certainly not waited, not wanting her to wait longer than she had to. She looked stunning in the long white dress simply done of satin. There were no extra frills, no draped areas. Nothing to detract from the art that was, in his eyes, her absolute beauty. Smooth satin was accentuated by white lace sleeves that were perfectly fitted about her arms and went to her wrists, secured by satin-covered buttons. The satin was cut in a sweetheart neckline, though the lace that encased her arms went across her shoulders and up to her throat. Again, buttons encased in satin went down her back and left her front deceptively covered because he could see the pale flesh through the openings in the lace. The train that went down her back was also of lace, though it could easily separate from the rest of the otherwise simple dress.

He thought she looked breathtaking.

Then again, he was supposed to.

Afterward, if one had asked him about what had happened during the ceremony, he was fairly certain he would reply with a very bewildered 'I have no idea'. All he could remember was how amazing his new bride was and how long it had been since he'd first wished to ask her to marry him. Perhaps it had been unfair to wait until such a time he became Fuhrer but at least he had ensured her grandfather, the retired Fuhrer Grumman, approved.

And now she was completely his.

Just to be cheeky, he once led her off away from the party and showed her to one of those nice little places just out of sight, just out of mind. And he kissed her in that place, amused that it was next to a chimney just like it had been the first time when she'd really kissed him back. It was strange how things went full circle.

That night, after he'd finished undressing her and she him and they'd shared a few loving touches though otherwise exhausted from their efforts during the party, Roy dreamed of that sweet, sweet time behind the house where loving touches and kisses abounded. This time, though, he didn't think it impossible because his dream held the sound of children's laughter and hope.

Tucking his wife against him, he smiled and nuzzled her in his sleep, knowing his lovely lady was finally where he'd always had her and, even better, closer than either had thought possible for a very long time.

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Author's Note: I wanted to give 'Behind the House' an 'end' or is that a truer 'beginning'?

Review if you wish. I appreciate all commentary.


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